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Interrogating DiscontentMy frustration resists containment. At peak intensity, it wants to free range, often alienating others. That said, navigating the often deep chasm between what is, and doesn’t want to change, and what could be, requires the sustained, dynamic energy of discontent. Being able to effectively channel a tsunami of intent is what distinguishes the effective change makers from the complainers. I aspire to be more of that former than latter, a pursuit that has yet to fully reach its goal. Knowing its destructive potential, I tend to subvert my seemingly constant frustration. But the destroyer can also be the creator, one that I haven’t ever fully explored, understood or embraced. Frustration can fuel innovation and be a powerful learning catalyst. Emotionally wrought lessons tend to live with me much more deeply than concepts assimilated without that spark. Every week, a modicum of discontent propels me through multiple drafts of these essays, striving to locate and elucidate, as clearly and concisely as possible, whatever observations I’m trying to probe. I admire those people who seem to manage their frustration much more gracefully than me, internalizing and translating it into focused action without allowing it to rage barely contained. I’m learning, but not because I’m satisfied with my own status quo.